Stories by Media
Stories by Location
The War, Ken Burns’ seven-part documentary series directed and produced by Ken Burns and Lynn Novick, was the most-watched PBS series of the past 10 years. It explored the history and horror of the Second World War from an American perspective by following the fortunes of so-called ordinary men and women who become caught up in one of the greatest cataclysms in human history.
WILL-TV’s Central Illinois World War II Stories was developed in conjunction with the Ken Burns’ series.
Visit The War web site on PBS.org
Share Your Story
PBS is gathering WWII stories from viewers across the United States. Upload your story to PBS for sharing with all other viewers. If you need assistance, contact Mary Barrineau or Jack Brighton at 217-333-1070.
This project supported in part by:
Clark Lindsey Village
Ecowater Systems
International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers #601
Strawberry Fields
Steamatic
WETA
Corporation for Public Broadcasting
WILL Stories
In stories on WILL radio, television and the Web, WILL looks at the war from many perspectives: men in battle on land and at sea, Japanese-American families in internment camps, conscientious objectors, women in the service, African-Americans at Chanute Air Force Base, German POWs in Hoopeston.
Oral History Interview: Philip John Dziuk of Homer
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When Phil Dziuk was an 18 year old farm boy, he qualified for an eleven month long Navy electronic technician training program, in June 1944. His education in a two year practical program in the School of Agriculture at the University of Minnesota and experience milking cows was a far cry from repair, maintenance and servicing radar, sonar, receivers, transmitters and other electronic gear. He struggled through the program at Herzl college in Chicago, Great Lakes, Treasure Island, California. He served on the USS Ajax, a repair ship that went to Hawaii, the atom bomb test site in Bikini and later served at the transmitter station in Lualualei, Hawaii. Discharged , August 4,1946, he was welcomed back to Foley, Minnesota and immediately began work in the harvest fields, on August 5. He later took advantage of the GI Bill and taught at the University of Illinois for more than 37 years.
RealVideo archive:
Oral History Interview: Wesley Matthews of Mechanicsburg
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Wesley Matthews served in the army and fought in the Battle of the Bulge as an ammunition bearer. He was hit by shrapnel that pierced his thigh, and he lay wounded for a whole day and into the night before four soldiers rescued him.
RealVideo archive:
Oral History Interview: Joseph McCormick of Danville
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Joseph McCormick served in the Army in Europe in the quartermaster corps supplying the front lines. He spoke excellent French and acted as an interpreter with the Free French.
RealVideo archive:
University of Illinois' WWII Veterans Presentation
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Three hundred people attended a community conversation August 28, 2008 at the Alice Campbell Alumni Center at the University of Illinois IL featuring musical storytelling emphasizing the events of WWII and prominent songs of the period with vocalist and narrator Dena Vermette , Don Heitler and his jazz trio with Ben Taylor on bass and Jeff Magby on drums. The musical performance will be narrated by veteran John Weaver. The musical performance was followed by a video screening of people who lived and trained at the U of I during WWII and discussion with panelists plus an archival display.
Speaking were Katie Harper Wright, who attended the U of I from 1940 to 1944 and was one of a small number of black students on campus; Jim Stallmeyer, who was drafted into the Navy and trained at the U of I from 1944-1946; Earl Swanson, who attended the U of I before joining the Army in 1943; William Prather, a soldier in the Army who trained on campus, and Kathryn Luther Henderson, a student from Champaign.
The event was co-sponsored by co-sponsored by WILL, the U of I Alumni Association, and the U of I Archives’ Student Life and Culture Archival Program, funded by the Stewart S. Howe Endowment.
The panel and audience discussion were moderated by Tom Rogers of WILL AM-FM-TV.
RealVideo archive:
Mahomet's WWII Veterans Presentation
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Ninety people attended a community conversation October 11, 2007 at the Early American Museum in Mahomet, IL featuring three men who survived the sinking of the USS Indianapolis during World War II. Speaking were Art Leenerman of Mahomet, Don McCall of Champaign and Earl Riggins of Oakland. They shared detailed accounts of how they survived four and a half days in the water waiting to be rescued while battling sharks, cold and hunger. The event was co-sponsored by WILL AM-FM-TV and the Early American Museum. The panel and audience discussion were moderated by Jack Brighton of WILL.
RealVideo archive:
Danville Residents Remember World War II
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Seventy-five people attended a community conversation October 16, 2007 at the Danville Public Library in Danville, IL featuring stories from eight Danville-area residents. Speaking were John Saint who enlisted in the Air Force in 1942 and was a POW in Germany; Bill Kannapel, who cared for wounded soldiers as a doctor; Helen Montgomery, who served in the Medical and Identification division of the American Women’s Voluntary Service; Charlie Dukes, who was a POW in Germany and Russia; Joe McCormick, who was a translator who worked with the French Underground; Milt Crippin, who landed on Utah Beach on D-Day and “Sparky” Songer who was a POW in Germany during the Battle of the Bulge. The event was co-sponsored by WILL AM-FM-TV and the Danville Public Library. The panel and audience discussion were moderated by Mary Coffman of the Danville Area Community College.